Page 111 of Ruthless Protector

Tears overflowed, streaking down her cheeks. “I’m so sorry, Jude. For what I said…for what I…” She started to shake.

I kissed the top of her head. “Hey, don’t talk now. You just rest, can you do that for me?”

She nodded again, and another wave of tears slid down her cheeks.

Shit. I wanted to take it all away, all her pain and fear, all the memories. “You close your eyes and rest. I’ll be here when you wake up.”

“Promise?” she whispered.

Another gut clench. “Promise.” I kissed the top of her head again. “You’re safe now. Tilly’s safe. Just rest.”

I was about to move to the chair across from her bed, but her hand shot out again and she grabbed onto me. “You promise you won’t go?”

My throat tightened. “I promise. I’ll be right here.”

I’m never leaving you alone, beautiful. Not fucking ever.

* * *

Willa

Tilly clutched my hand as we walked to the bus.

She hadn’t said much about what happened a month ago, but she was having regular counseling sessions, and she seemed to be handling everything okay. Thank God. She was resilient, a fighter. I liked to think she got that from me.

Trent was being held in custody until his court case, and Jude told me Tomas had spread the word that I had nothing to do with any debts Trent might have, and if anyone touched us, it was a direct attack against him and The King agency, which would be considered a declaration of war.

I didn’t ask what that meant, I just appreciated the hell out of it. Appreciated the hell out of all of them.

Jude had been by our sides every step of the way. But we hadn’t discussed the future or my decision to leave before everything that happened. I hadn’t had the energy to deal with the boxes and suitcases I’d packed, and I hadn’t thought anything of it until I noticed him looking at them this morning. We hadn’t really had much in the way of alone time. I’d been in hospital for the first week, then Tilly had slept with me for the next few. I’d also been healing, and Tilly had needed to be close to me, we’d both needed it. He hadn’t left us, though, watching over us, making sure we were okay.

“You happy here, Tils?” I asked my niece.

“Yep, it’s the best.”

“I think so, too,” I said. “Your mom, she wanted me to look after you on my own. Her and I…we haven’t exactly had much luck with guys, she thought it should just be you and me,” I said. My decisions affected her, she should have a say. We were in this together now.

Tilly frowned. “Why would she want that?”

“She thought it was the best thing for you, I guess.”

She shook her head, chin stubborn, and crossed her arms. “Dad hurt Mom, and Evan hurt you before we left Ashwood Falls. But Jude’s nothing like them, he never could be. He’d never hurt us, Willa.”

This kid, she was too smart for her own damn good. “I know…”

“Mom’s gone,” she said. “She never met Jude.”

“No, she didn’t…”

“She loved me, right?”

I tugged her to a stop. “Of course, more than anything.”

“The lady you took me to talk to after Mom died said she wouldn’t want me to be sad all the time. Well, Jude makes me happy. He makes me laugh and smile, and he has a cool Harley.”

“He does…”

“And he makes you smile and laugh, too, Willa.”